Fire Bug Lights Stretch Of I-64

Officials Appeal For Information

January 20, 1990|By MICHAEL S.C. CLAFFEY Staff Writer

NEWPORT NEWS — A string of up to a dozen suspicious fires broke out along a two-mile stretch of Interstate 64 Friday afternoon, prompting the Fire Department to appeal for information from anyone who might have seen someone set the blazes. Fire Department spokeswoman Lynn James said that two people called 911 to report "that they saw a white man in a small, white pickup truck pouring something that appeared to be gasoline" along the shoulder of the highway.

Investigators hope that others might have seen the man and can help identify him. The fires were first reported about 3:30 p.m. along the eastbound side of the interstate, starting just north of the Jefferson Avenue entrance and ending near the Canon Virginia Plant, which is north of the J. Clyde Morris Boulevard entrance.

"At that time of day, the interstate is really busy," James said, "so we're really hoping that somebody saw something more specific so we'll have more to work with."

James said that anyone with information should call Crime Line at 245-0755. She added that the authorities do not know the identities of the two people who reported the man pouring gasoline and that they hope those people will contact the police or Fire Department if they have any additional information.

The Fire Department dispatched six engines and two smaller trucks to fight the fires, which were extinguished by 5 p.m. There were no structures burned and no injuries to firefighters, James said.

But she noted that a mobile home park near the interstate, Chesapeake Village Mobile Home Park, was threatened by the flames at one point.

The dry conditions and wind made the fires harder to extinguish, James added.